Home Defense Weapon- Loaded Overnight?

[superduty]

Hi folks, just thought I'd try to get a sense of how you all deal with your home defense weapon in the overnight hours- 

 

I know some people who use a handgun will keep the firearm and a loaded magazine near them while sleeping, and they can just put the mag in and be good to go if something happens.

 

What if your home defense weapon of choice is a shotgun?  Can't really keep it in the safe overnight-  won't help if someone suddenly barges in the house.  By the same token, keeping the shotgun sitting out somewhere with a handful of shells next to it really seems like a hindrance as well-  you'd still have to load it with someone coming into (or already into) the house.

 

So would you keep it loaded overnight, then unload and stow it during the day?  I'm trying to figure out the happy balance between safety and accessability in a home defense situation...

 

Thanks for your thoughts-

 

 

[RED333]

Yes, loaded.

[Stegall Law Firm]

Everything of mine stays hot at all times, except when I'm cleaning it or doing dry fire.

[rugerla1]

Magazine loaded in the pistol and loaded extra one beside the pistol.

[enfield]

Loaded, all day, every day.  You don't lock up your fire extinguishers at night, do you?  Always carry a spare tire?

Edited January 22, 2013 by enfield

[TGO David]

Loaded, all day, every day.  You don't lock up your fire extinguishers at night, do you?  Always carry a spare tire?

 

This x100000.  Keep the weapon loaded.  Lock it away during the day if you need, but keep it loaded.  And I mean one in the chamber loaded.  It's useless to you if you can't deploy it, single handed, in the nick of time.  Don't fool yourself and think you're necessarily going to have time to wake up from your slumber and chamber a round before someone's already in your immediate vicinity.

[Spots]

Everything in my place is loaded with a round in the chamber. An empty gun is just a crappy club

[Guest Broomhead]

I keep my 870 in cruiser mode, empty chamber, full mag tube, safety off. All I have to do is pump it once. My pistol stays beside me on the couch (reclining sofa; I have a bad back and can't sleep in a bed) loaded with a round in the chamber and a full mag.

[East_TN_Patriot]

Yup. Loaded 24/7. 

[mcurrier]

An unloaded gun is a paperweight, nothing more.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I'd hate to have to use one of my 29's as a maul. About all it would be good for, empty.

[enfield]

I'd hate to have to use one of my 29's as a maul. About all it would be good for, empty.

 

They're too beautiful and expensive to use as a club.

[UncleJak]

Load them up and be safe!

[piercedan]

Always loaded. Always on me or within arms reach. Wife has one ready to rock also. Son has one ready, but no round in the chamber. His preference.

[superduty]

Thanks for the replies- all of the answers are in line with my thoughts too, and I'm well aware that an unloaded weapon is basically a paperweight, but I have struggled a bit with incorporating the practice with kids roaming around the house.

I'll build a higher shelf I guess!

[enfield]

High shelf, out of sight if possible, train the kids to shoot and handle firearms safely as young as possible.

[piercedan]

How old are they?

[Wingshooter]

Thanks for the replies- all of the answers are in line with my thoughts too, and I'm well aware that an unloaded weapon is basically a paperweight, but I have struggled a bit with incorporating the practice with kids roaming around the house.

I'll build a higher shelf I guess!

 

 

I was going to ask if you had little kids. I know mine would get into all sorts of things when they were smaller. I went with a biometric safe mounted near the bed with a loaded pistol inside. Shotgun? I did not leave my shotgun out of the safe and loaded with little kids around.

[Guest sL1k]

all mine are loaded. I don't know what to do with them when they are empty, they make for horrible paper weights, and bookends.

[superduty]

11 y/o boy and 8 y/o girl.

 

My son has been doing quite well with the .22 I bought him a year ago-  he's very interested in it, will readily sit with me and go over the parts, talk about safety, and goes to the range with me quite a bit.

 

The daughter has been to the range, and will pretty much do whatever I tell her when it comes to this topic, but she's still pretty young.

 

I'm not so scared that they'll do something blatantly stupid (although, kids have a tendency to not think critically all the time), more concerned of an accidental discharge if somebody decides not to be smart all the sudden.  I'm a strong believer in Murphy's Law, and I want to try to stack the odds in my favor. Like, heaviliy in my favor.

[Romad7]

I was going to ask if you had little kids. I know mine would get into all sorts of things when they were smaller. I went with a biometric safe mounted near the bed with a loaded pistol inside. Shotgun? I did not leave my shotgun out of the safe and loaded with little kids around.

I'll be getting one of those when my daughter is mobile. Check out ShotLock for shotguns, I don't have one but it looks like a good option

[Wingshooter]

11 y/o boy and 8 y/o girl.

 

My son has been doing quite well with the .22 I bought him a year ago-  he's very interested in it, will readily sit with me and go over the parts, talk about safety, and goes to the range with me quite a bit.

 

The daughter has been to the range, and will pretty much do whatever I tell her when it comes to this topic, but she's still pretty young.

 

I'm not so scared that they'll do something blatantly stupid (although, kids have a tendency to not think critically all the time), more concerned of an accidental discharge if somebody decides not to be smart all the sudden.  I'm a strong believer in Murphy's Law, and I want to try to stack the odds in my favor. Like, heaviliy in my favor.

 

Yeah, it only takes one mistake of one of them doing what they know they're not suppose to. For me, the pistol in a bedside safe for immediate response and an UNloaded shotgun with shells nearby for that "bump in the night" when I had a little time was the right balance. YMMV

[TMF]

Spend 80 bucks and get a mini gunvault. I have one on the bed side table, finger grooves for the key pad so you can punch the code in pitch black. I can access that pistol almost as quick as if there was no safe at all.

I have kids too, and despite all the training in the world, kids will do things they aren't supposed to do (I know, crazy, right?). Locking your pistol up will give you peace of mind. I have put up the shotgun for home defense due to the kids. I don't feel like I'm sacrificing anything, because while a 12 ga is a good home defense weapon, it's not as if the intruder will laugh at me when I shoot him with a 9mm, ya know? He'll either be tripping over himself to escape or he'll die in place.

Be safe. Make sure your kids are safe. Don't assume they will do the right thing because you taught them to. Kids will do stuff the aren't supposed to, so anyone that bets their kid's life that they will do otherwise is rolling the dice. Edited January 22, 2013 by TMF

[Will H]

I keep my GP100 loaded and ready in a high place close to me.  I figure if 6 rounds of 125 gr. JHP .357 magnum is not enough I can always beat them with the 3 pounds of stainless steel.  I plan on getting some type of quick opening safe, but it will have to be big enough for this hog leg.

[walton6467]

Loaded, chambered and within reach at night. Locked in the safe during the day. I'd hate to get robbed when I wasn't home and have my bedside piece to be the only one stolen.